


Sand Castle Architect

by literaryoblivion



Series: Freck's Inktober [5]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Beaches, Flirting, M/M, Mermaid Tyler
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-06
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2019-07-27 08:55:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16215698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literaryoblivion/pseuds/literaryoblivion
Summary: Jamie is building a sand castle to prove to Jordie he can, and he gets some unsolicited advice.





	Sand Castle Architect

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic in this fandom and this pairing (although not the first I've written, I just haven't finished that one yet). So, please be gentle. :)

“You’re a little too close to the water there, bud,” a low and quiet voice says behind Jamie. It doesn’t sound like Jordie, but Jamie is too busy concentrating on sculpting the turrets of his castle to turn to see who it is. So instead he just waves the guy off and continues.

“The tide’s going to come in soon and wash it all away,” the guy behind him adds a few minutes later, and Jamie does not care. He has to finish this, and he’s almost done anyway.

“I’m almost done,” he says outloud, hoping the guy will leave him be to finish his work of art because he has to win this bet. 

And yeah, okay, maybe when Jamie had started making the sand castle (because it’s what you do on the beach, duh, and also Jordie said he couldn’t even make one, so fuck him), he probably should’ve taken into consideration how long it would take him and where to put it.

But he wasn’t thinking clearly and was just like, “I, so can make a sand castle that’s recognizable and I’ll do it ten times better than you, Jordie” mode and just picked a place that was a little out of the way so Jordie wouldn’t cheat and see his technique or style and so he wouldn’t hear his chirping. Other than that, he just picked a spot that looked good and went to town.

And while he was almost done, the water was licking at his heels and in another 20 minutes or so it’d be at his toes and then his castle would start to wash away little by little.

“At least make a moat around it, dude, so you can say you put it there on purpose.”

Aggravated, Jamie huffs and says, “Well if you’re such a sand castle architect, why don’t you come help?” He flips around to accuse the man more and stops with his mouth open when he sees who he’s actually fighting.

First of all, the man is gorgeous. He has a beard, and his hair is wet and curly. He’s got a sleeve of tattoos on both arms, and from what Jamie can see of his chest and abs, he’s very fit and muscular. The very obvious, distinguishing factor about him, however, is that he’s laying half in the water still, a tail and fin that seems very much attached to him floating and occasionally flicking water and splashing lazily behind him with every wave.

“Uh…” Jamie says intelligently because what do you say to a half man half fish… dolphin? Merman?

The merman just grins wickedly before he says, “I would, but you might have to help me out a little.” He gives Jamie a wink, which causes Jamie to blush. “Or we could wait until the tide rises,” the merman adds, “but by then, it’ll be too late.”

“What- who are you?” Jamie corrects himself because that’s likely incredibly rude to ask someone what they are.

“I’m Tyler,” he says with a wave. He looks at Jamie expectantly, and it only makes sense to respond in kind.

“I’m Jamie.”

“Hi, Jamie.” Tyler gives him a kind smile, more subtle and genuine than the wide grin from earlier.

“Shouldn’t you… I mean… are you allowed to be…”

“You gonna finish any of those sentences?” He says with a smirk.

Jamie frowns. “If you are what I think you are, shouldn’t you be like afraid of me? What if I take you away and give you to some science lab?”

Tyler narrows his eyes slightly. “Are you?”

“No, of course not.”

Tyler’s expression clears. “Well okay then.” Like that’s the end of the matter.

“You couldn’t have possibly known that though? What if you showed yourself and it had been someone nefarious and evil!” Jamie is suddenly worried that Tyler is too naive and trusting of just any old human and lucked out to find Jamie.

Tyler rolls his eyes. “It’s not like this is my first time above water. Besides, I’ve been watching you. I know you won’t hurt me.” He says that last part with utter confidence, like he knows Jamie to his core just by observing him.

“That’s… kind of creepy. But… like thanks I guess?”

“Your brother seems nice too.”

“How… long have you been watching?”

Tyler shrugs. “You guys come to the beach pretty often? I… you’re really cute.” Tyler’s face turns red when he says it. “And I wanted to… say hi?”

As Tyler had been talking, Jamie had slowly crept closer to him and now they were only a few meters apart. Jamie’s still standing as Tyler lays leaning propped against a rock, bottom half still in the water. He gives into the urge to kneel beside the rock, not caring about how uncomfortable the sand and pebbles are on his knees, so that he can be eye-level with Tyler.

“Do you normally say hi by telling people the flaws in their sand castle design?”

Tyler grins and bites his lip, leaning closer to Jamie and eyes glittering as he stares at Jamie. “Just ones I really like,” he finally answers.

A smile grows on Jamie’s face and he finds himself getting closer, gravitating towards Tyler unconsciously.

“You should, uh, take a pic of the castle before it crumbles and then come join me in the water?” Tyler says, letting his fingers brush over Jamie’s shoulder.

Jamie nods and then pauses. “You’re not going to like lure me out and then drown me are you?” Tyler gives him an unimpressed look. “Just checking,” Jamie says quickly to get back into Tyler’s good graces, which works as Tyler smiles again.

“Hurry up, before the tide gets any higher,” Tyler says, pushing on Jamie’s chest. Jamie obliges, quickly standing and taking a pic of his masterpiece and texting it to Jordie to prove he’s superior. 

He ignores Jordie’s response as he throws his phone on the towel that’s a little further away and runs back into the water to meet Tyler who’s wading in the water, waiting for him with a bright smile and open arms that Jamie willingly falls into.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi [my tumblr](http://literaryoblivion.tumblr.com) or [my twitter](http://twitter.com/lit_oblivion).


End file.
